well know your miserable condition. Your
people have gone out to pick up roots in order to avoid starvation, for
we have captured Master Boulle and some other Frenchmen whom we have
retained as prisoners at Tadousac, and from whom we have ascertained the
condition of the inhabitants of Quebec."

"Give us a delay of eight days," said Father de la Roche. "No," replied
Thomas Kirke, "I shall at once ruin the fort with my cannon." "I desire
to sleep to-night in the fort," added his brother Louis, "and, if not, I
shall devastate the whole country." "Proceed slowly," said Father de la
Roche, "for you are deceived if you believe you will easily gain the
fort. There are a hundred men there well armed and ready to sell their
lives dearly. Perchance you will find your death in this enterprise, for
I assure you that the inhabitants are determined to fight, and they
derive courage from the conviction that your invasion is unjust, and
that their lives and property are at stake. Once more I warn you that an
attack might prove dangerous to you."

Captain Louis Kirke seemed a little disheartened on hearing this firm
and vigorous language. After having consulted the chief officers of his
fleet he asked Father de la Roche to attend a council of war at which an
ultimatum was presented in these words:--"Champlain must surrender at
once, but he shall have the privilege of dictating the terms of
capitulation." Three hours were granted within which his reply was to be
given. The Recollets were promised protection, but no conditions were
accorded to the Jesuits, as it was the admiral's intention to visit
their convent, which he believed to contain a quantity of beaver skins.

Father de la Roche returned to Fort St. Louis, and gave an account of
his interview. It was plainly evident that it would be useless to rely
upon delays in the face of an enemy determined to see the end of the
affair. Food was almost exhausted, and it was calculated that there were
not more than ten pounds of flour in Quebec, and not more than fifty
pounds of gunpowder, which was of inferior quality. Opposition would
have been not only useless, but ridiculous. Champlain realized this, and
at once resolved to surrender.

Champlain drew up the following articles of capitulation, which were
forwarded to the Kirke brothers:--

"That Quer (Kirke) should produce his commission from the king of
England to prove that war actually existed between England and
Fr